7,723 research outputs found
Preferred Measurements: Optimality and Stability in Quantum Parameter Estimation
We explore precision in a measurement process incorporating pure probe
states, unitary dynamics and complete measurements via a simple formalism. The
concept of `information complement' is introduced. It undermines measurement
precision and its minimization reveals the system properties at an optimal
point. Maximally precise measurements can exhibit independence from the true
value of the estimated parameter, but demanding this severely restricts the
type of viable probe and dynamics, including the requirement that the
Hamiltonian be block-diagonal in a basis of preferred measurements. The
curvature of the information complement near a globally optimal point provides
a new quantification of measurement stability.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, in submission. Substantial Extension and
replacement of arXiv:0902.3260v1 in response to Referees' remark
Interdependent networks with correlated degrees of mutually dependent nodes
We study a problem of failure of two interdependent networks in the case of
correlated degrees of mutually dependent nodes. We assume that both networks (A
and B) have the same number of nodes connected by the bidirectional
dependency links establishing a one-to-one correspondence between the nodes of
the two networks in a such a way that the mutually dependent nodes have the
same number of connectivity links, i.e. their degrees coincide. This implies
that both networks have the same degree distribution . We call such
networks correspondently coupled networks (CCN). We assume that the nodes in
each network are randomly connected. We define the mutually connected clusters
and the mutual giant component as in earlier works on randomly coupled
interdependent networks and assume that only the nodes which belong to the
mutual giant component remain functional. We assume that initially a
fraction of nodes are randomly removed due to an attack or failure and find
analytically, for an arbitrary , the fraction of nodes which
belong to the mutual giant component. We find that the system undergoes a
percolation transition at certain fraction which is always smaller than
the for randomly coupled networks with the same . We also find that
the system undergoes a first order transition at if has a finite
second moment. For the case of scale free networks with , the
transition becomes a second order transition. Moreover, if we find
as in percolation of a single network. For we find an exact
analytical expression for . Finally, we find that the robustness of CCN
increases with the broadness of their degree distribution.Comment: 18 pages, 3 figure
Variability of study skills in higher education: The case of Rwanda undergraduate students at National Police College
This study extends knowledge production about studentsâ study skills in higher education. It is intended to unpack variations among undergraduate studentsâ study skills based on demographic characteristics. The article uses a comparative cross-sectional design drawing on a survey questionnaire distributed among 398 students of three programs of study at the University of Rwanda (UR), National Police College (NPC). These are Professional Police Studies (PPS), Law and Computer Science (CS) with the option of Information Security. Results indicate that studentsâ features primarily gender, age, marital status, year of study, program of study and working experience are relevant categories to study skills. These features were found to have an effect on all study skills investigated except gender which influence test preparation and test-taking only. We argue that strategies for improving study skills at all levels of higher education should take cognizance of studentsâ demographic features
Simulating noisy quantum protocols with quantum trajectories
The theory of quantum trajectories is applied to simulate the effects of
quantum noise sources induced by the environment on quantum information
protocols. We study two models that generalize single qubit noise channels like
amplitude damping and phase flip to the many-qubit situation. We calculate the
fidelity of quantum information transmission through a chaotic channel using
the teleportation scheme with different environments. In this example, we
analyze the role played by the kind of collective noise suffered by the quantum
processor during its operation. We also investigate the stability of a quantum
algorithm simulating the quantum dynamics of a paradigmatic model of chaos, the
baker's map. Our results demonstrate that, using the quantum trajectories
approach, we are able to simulate quantum protocols in the presence of noise
and with large system sizes of more than 20 qubits.Comment: 11 pages, 7 fig
Algorithms and literate programs for weighted low-rank approximation with missing data
Linear models identification from data with missing values is posed as a weighted low-rank approximation problem with weights related to the missing values equal to zero. Alternating projections and variable projections methods for solving the resulting problem are outlined and implemented in a literate programming style, using Matlab/Octave's scripting language. The methods are evaluated on synthetic data and real data from the MovieLens data sets
Variability of the X-ray P Cygni Line Profiles from Circinus X-1 Near Zero Phase
The luminous X-ray binary Circinus X-1 has been observed twice near zero
orbital phase using the High-Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer (HETGS)
onboard Chandra. The source was in a high-flux state during a flare for the
first observation, and it was in a low-flux state during a dip for the second.
Spectra from both flux states show clear P Cygni lines, predominantly from
H-like and He-like ion species. These indicate the presence of a high-velocity
outflow from the Cir X-1 system which we interpret as an equatorial
accretion-disk wind, and from the blueshifted resonance absorption lines we
determine outflow velocities of 200 - 1900 km/s with no clear velocity
differences between the two flux states. The line strengths and profiles,
however, are strongly variable both between the two observations as well as
within the individual observations. We characterize this variability and
suggest that it is due to both changes in the amount of absorbing material
along the line of sight as well as changes in the ionization level of the wind.
We also refine constraints on the accretion-disk wind model using improved
plasma diagnostics such as the He-like Mg XI triplet, and we consider the
possibility that the X-ray absorption features seen from superluminal jet
sources can generally be explained via high-velocity outflows.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, accepted by ApJ (Main
High Time for Conservation: Adding the Environment to the Debate on Marijuana Liberalization
The liberalization of marijuana policies, including the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana, is sweeping the United States and other countries. Marijuana cultivation can have significant negative collateral effects on the environment that are often unknown or overlooked. Focusing on the state of California, where by some estimates 60% -- 70% of the marijuana consumed in the United States is grown, we argue that (a) the environmental harm caused by marijuana cultivation merits a direct policy response, (b) current approaches to governing the environmental effects are inadequate, and (c) neglecting discussion of the environmental impacts of cultivation when shaping future marijuana use and possession policies represents a missed opportunity to reduce, regulate, and mitigate environmental harm
A smoothing monotonic convergent optimal control algorithm for NMR pulse sequence design
The past decade has demonstrated increasing interests in using optimal
control based methods within coherent quantum controllable systems. The
versatility of such methods has been demonstrated with particular elegance
within nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) where natural separation between
coherent and dissipative spin dynamics processes has enabled coherent quantum
control over long periods of time to shape the experiment to almost ideal
adoption to the spin system and external manipulations. This has led to new
design principles as well as powerful new experimental methods within magnetic
resonance imaging, liquid-state and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. For this
development to continue and expand, it is crucially important to constantly
improve the underlying numerical algorithms to provide numerical solutions
which are optimally compatible with implementation on current instrumentation
and at same time are numerically stable and offer fast monotonic convergence
towards the target. Addressing such aims, we here present a smoothing
monotonically convergent algorithm for pulse sequence design in magnetic
resonance which with improved optimization stability lead to smooth pulse
sequence easier to implement experimentally and potentially understand within
the analytical framework of modern NMR spectroscopy
Lorentz invariance of entanglement classes in multipartite systems
We analyze multipartite entanglement in systems of spin-1/2 particles from a
relativistic perspective. General conditions which have to be met for any
classification of multipartite entanglement to be Lorentz invariant are
derived, which contributes to a physical understanding of entanglement
classification. We show that quantum information in a relativistic setting
requires the partition of the Hilbert space into particles to be taken
seriously. Furthermore, we study exemplary cases and show how the spin and
momentum entanglement transforms relativistically in a multipartite setting.Comment: v2: 5 pages, 4 figures, minor changes to main body, journal
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